To Fight, To Win
by indahome
Summary: It was just a fight. Just a friendly little fight.
1. Chapter 1

"_Duck,"_ my brain told me and I did so. The whoosh of a fist passing over my head met my ears, and I slammed my attacker twice in the sides. They groaned and I stood.

"Had enough?" I asked breathily.

"No!" they pushed out, and took another swing.

It made contact that one, right down my cheek and set me off balance. I stumbled backward into a haystack and hit my head on the pitchfork. Now I was mad. I understood their irritation before and as they had never actually hit me, the _friendly_ shoves I understood. But this? This was taking things _way_ too far.

Spitting hay out of my mouth and sending the pitchfork off in one direction I jumped to my feet and met the cowboy balling his fists at me. I knew Slim had a temper but gravy, I never thought he could get this mad. Not with me anyway. Guess I should have known. Being so mule headed stubborn and so dagum set in his blasted ways.

I was thinking about all of that, as we tussled about the barn and it came to an abrupt end when I was suddenly sitting on top of him, blinking blood out of my eye. I had his collar gripped and my fist pulled back, I was ready to let him have it, but I stopped.

Slim's eyes were no longer sparking at me, and he no longer looked like he wanted to hog tie me and toss me to the wolves. No his blue eyes were pinching closed and his face screwed up in pain. It was true pain too. Not a wince that comes from a punch and it weren't no grimace for what was about to come. He was hurt, and every ounce of anger washed away and I dropped my fist grabbing the other side of his collar, giving him a little shake.

"Slim… Slim? What's wrong?"

He made some mutter of a reply, hardly worth calling anything, and I was off him in a second onto my feet and jerking him up with me. He came up rather easily and bent over grabbing his side and moaning out some protest. He was leaning on a railing and I was there for added support.

"Tell me right now what's got you busted up, or I swear I'll tell Daisy you was playin' hooky yesterday."

I drug a smile out of him with that, and he dropped his hand, that was hugging his ribs, and playfully punched my shoulder.

"But you forget, you were with me…"

His eyes were sparking with mischief and his voice, although softer, was almost normal. I let go, backing off a step searching him, not quite sure, but he had an easy smile on his face, and the tension that had started to build in my shoulders loosened.

"Well…" I began, intending to come back with some sort of Jess Harper reply, but his face screwed up again, his hand shot to his side and he slumped forward.

No longer facing the post, but me, he was making a perfect dive, and I caught him, lowering him down. The tension came back, and a knot started again in my stomach. He groaned, his eyes pinched closed and I laid him down in the hay. Catching his chin I pointed it to look at me.

"Hey…" I wanted him to open his eyes and he obliged me quite nicely. They seemed hazed over with pain and my worry grew. "There's no denying it now, tell me, what's wrong?"

His hand was back at his side and he started to shake his head back and forth. His jean jacket was bunched in his hand and his jaw was set. Whatever was bothering him hurt like the blazes.

"I don't know…" he whispered. "It started… a couple… a couple a days ago… But it wasn't soo… so bad."

I know my face dropped to astonishment as I felt as if the wind had mostly been knocked from me.

"A couple a days ago!" I sputtered. "Why the duce didn't you say somethin' then?"

He smiled slightly. "Wasn't so bad then."

"Slim of all the―"

I bit off my angry reply, for I wasn't actually angry. I was worried out of my skin and appalled at his… His big head.

He smiled again and limply punched my shoulder telling me not to worry about it and I shook my head, slid my arm under his shoulder and lifted that stubborn headed mule off the floor. I didn't pay much attention to the protests shot at me, and paid even less attention to what he was saying once I got him into the house and on his bed. All I did pay attention too was the way he held himself, the way he'd let out a breath or suddenly groaned and I watched his expressions.

"I'm gettin' a doc." I mumbled after successfully getting his coat, hat _and _boots off with little to no resistance.

Daisy was in town. Daisy went to town with Mike. He needed shoes and she needed a hat and me and Slim had work to around the ranch so she had headed off early that morning.

"No," Slim replied and that got me to halt.

I stopped just inside the door to look down at his pale face and I set my jaw. One good look was enough to convince me.

"You don't have much choice, pard." I smiled down at him slightly and stalked out of the room.

However, I was then struck by a thought that froze my confident/triumphant stride and I winced, glancing back at the room. If I left, than Slim would be alone. Daisy had the buckboard and I didn't really think Slim could sit a horse even if I rode double with him.

My hand shot across my face and I scrubbed my forehead. What the world was I gonna do?


	2. Chapter 2

Reluctantly my footsteps retreated to the bedroom and I glanced down at Slim. He was lying on his left side, curled up slightly and was working really hard to control the pain. Or so I gathered.

"What happened to fetching that doc?" He mumbled, and I swear I heard a taunt in his voice.

My face fell to a deeper frown and I walked around dropping in front of his face and tugging at his sleeve. His eyes cracked and he was smiling. I knew then that I hadn't miss heard the taunt.

"I can't leave you here alone…" I muttered not sure if I should smile or look angry.

"Sure you can." He mumbled. "It's been done loads of times. But I would prefer rather that you didn't go bother the good old doc."

"Slim―" I snapped my mouth closed and glared at him. "You know I have half a mind to drag your sorry little hid outside and tie you to a horse."

He smirked and shook his head wincing as he rolled onto his back. He rubbed his side with his right hand and I sat on the edge of my bed and tossed my hat off.

"At least explain to me what's wrong." I mumbled feeling that to be my only other avenue at the moment.

His eyebrows curved, his mouth became a winced out smile, and he moved his hand and looked at me.

"Jess Harper, for the great many years―"

"Four…" I interjected and he paused and bobbed his head.

"For the four years that I have known you, never once have you doubted me. Correct?"

My face got all rather perplexed and I was wondering if perhaps he was going out of his head. You know, maybe whatever was wrong with his side was starting to work its way up. I thought I should humor him, however, if I ever wanted to reach the truth so I pushed on a smile and crooked up my eyebrows.

"No Slim, in the four years that I have known you, you have never once let me down."

"That wasn't quite the question, but…"

He closed his eyes, rolling his head in a groan and I took off my gloves impatiently.

"Slim…"

"I'm coming to the point." He mumbled, and I thought that once again I would humor him a moment longer. I swallowed back my irritation and sat to listen.

"So listen to me now when I say it'll be fine." He looked at me and held a stare for a moment before his face turned up again and he groaned.

I didn't answer. Didn't see a need too. He was being ridiculous with his request and I knew that to argue with him would only out wind me, so instead of making some stupid comment about how he had just wasted close to five minutes I sunk to my knees on the floor next to him and gave his side a very testing push.

He bit off a small cry and moved away, before glaring at me.

"What the―" he snapped.

"I'm taking you to town." I said decisively and started to shove his boots on.

He made a fuss and grumbled the whole time but I got his boots and jacket before helping him outside. He didn't let me carry him that time and I didn't even try. The man was heading for a fall and I was starting to feel my own stubborn side kick in. Slim wasn't going to take to being mothered so I didn't dish it out, but I was there when he fell. I knew it was gonna happen but I thought I'd let the man fall, provided I was close enough to catch him.

When he fell, his eyes closed, sending me an apologetic look, or at least I chose to take it as one, and I allowed a small show of care to cross my face before hoisting his sorry self up onto Traveler and swung up after him.

Away we clopped into the setting sun and I wondered distantly where Daisy was. The thought was short however, for Slim was hanging loose and with each dip of the horse he'd groan or suck in a breath or make some remark about an over concerned Jess Harper.

I had to smile at the man. Even down he always tried to stay up, and it had gotten worse since I had showed. I wondered if perhaps he had picked some of it up from me, and I glanced at the back of his head. I surely did hope not, because I can be a terrible pain when it comes to falling. I mean I don't enjoy being stuck in a bed. I don't really like all the worry and mothering that comes with it. I don't like how often it seems to come, but then again I always understood it to be my own fault.

Head strong and obstinate I've always enjoyed a first rate adventure, and I kinda tend to run in head first without considering the consequences. Thus I normally come back in a sorry mess and have to go through some time of lying in bed and getting mothered. My other problem is fighting my way out of bed _way _too soon and normally end up having a relapse, which is even worse.

Of course I understood all this. It's a fault of mine and I don't think it'll ever change. The adventurous side of me is far too set to ever be tamed and I wouldn't want it too. I have come to think about things a little bit more now that I used too, and I'm not _quite_ as crazy as Slim when I get all fired up an angry. Well not as bad, anymore, as I used to be.

Slim's weight finally fell back on me full force and I popped out of my _deep_ thinking to glance at his face. His eyes are closed and I could tell by his breathing he was resting easy. Meaning he'd passed out and I was then in an even greater rush to get him to Laramie. I spurred on Traveler and glanced at the vast span of deep purple and pink finishing off the sunset.


	3. Chapter 3

Now Laramie never seems so very far away when I'm enjoying the ride, and it never seems very close when I'm in a terrible hurry. Exceptions can always be made on both points, but I wasn't looking for exceptions. I was looking for the doc's house, and I wanted it to come up real quick.

The sun was gone when I was finally riding down that slight dip into Laramie, and I slowly trotted down Main Street my eyes peeled for the doc's house. There was still a light on in the front and I was slightly happy for the small favor. Slipping off I caught Slim up in my arms and pulled him from the horse. He gave a stir when I had him halfway down, and he brought his feet up to stop himself from hitting his knees.

I was pulling on his collar and slipped a hand under his arm, walking us for the door.

"Almost there." I said softly and he made a grunt of a reply.

I was thankful the trip to the door was short. Slim tripped up each step and I was struggling to get his bigger hulk to stand when we hit the porch. Light spilled into our faces and the good old doc made some exclamation before hurrying out to help me.

It was a long time later that I was slowly walking out of the doc's house and over to the hitching rail where I loosely grabbed the reins to Traveler and swung up riding down to the saloon. Not busy at that time and it was in the middle of the week, so when I pushed the doors open and slowly walked to the bar I calculated there to be one cowboy, besides myself, and way too many saloon girls.

"Whisky." I said softly hitting the bar and realizing just how tired I was.

I felt like a man of fifty and was leaning kinda low on the wood. The glass hit the table and I slowly took a sip rolling it in my hands. I was looking at it rather hard, wishing it would give me the answers. Doc hadn't said anything, just asked loads of questions and sent me away. Said he'd let me know as soon as he did, but I had seen the deep purple and black bruises on Slim's left side and I did have to wonder. Could have been something _simple_ like some busted ribs or it could have been something complicated. Complicated I didn't even want to get into so I pushed those thoughts out of my head and tried to think positively. And in my positive thinking I was struck dumb by a frightening thought.

Daisy.

An empty cup hit the counter, and silver was still spinning on wood as the saloon door swished shut. My eyes darted to Mort's, thinking that the best place to start and I carried myself quickly to the light. Mort was still sitting behind his desk when I entered and he smiled at me.

"Jess! What brings you to town, Daisy?" he was getting up and a puzzled perhaps relaxed frown crossed my face.

"I actually came to ask you about her. See them?"

His smile all but disappeared and he was frowning at me. "Didn't Jimmy make it to your place? I thought that's why you were here. Wagon broke an axle and it's gonna be over night at the livery. I sent Jimmy out to let you all know… Didn't he reach you?"

I sank into a chair feeling one problem float away and took off my hat playing with it loosely in my hands.

"I wouldn't know Mort. I didn't pass him on the way in, and he didn't make it to the ranch."

"Strange." Mort was frowning rubbing his jaw and he rolled his chair back going to have a look out the door. Perhaps looking for answers.

"Daisy at the hotel?"

He jumped and I hid a smile having broken his thinking.

"Yeah, her and Mike took a room."

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?"

I looked back at him genuinely surprised thinking I had hid how I felt so very well. Mort was watching me expectantly and I sighed, fixing the brim to my hat.

"It's Slim." I said softly, and could feel the temperature in the room drop. "We were tusslin' in our barn over…" I shook my head and was surprised at how hard I was having to concentrate on my hat. "It weren't nothin' bad, but all the sudden he fell over complainin' about his side and…" I shook my head loosing word and Mort's feet shuffled.

He was suddenly sitting in his chair again and looking at me straight on.

"What's wrong? Is he okay?"

"Not sure." I muttered softly. "Took him over to doc's he's supposed to let me know but then I remember Daisy and I came a lookin'."

The chair squeaked and Mort let out a sigh. "No, no. She's fine, over at the hotel," he said all very distantly and I glanced up at his face with a soft smile.

His hand was resting on his jaw and he was staring out the window in great thought. Always the great thinker, he struck a solution and turned back to me.

"You'll let me know?"

"As soon as I do." I promised and got to my feet shuffling for the door.

I paused to put on my hat and Mort's hands slowly swept his desk.

"If there's anything I can do…?"

"I'll be the first to ask."

I flicked a smile and tugged open the door, stepping outside and breathing in a deep breath before running a hand over my face and starting for my horse.

"You just gotta be okay Slim," I mumbled softly, my hand slipping up the neck to my horse and heading for the horn.

Swinging up I let my head hang low and rode for the hotel. I didn't know that I really wanted to tell Daisy, not right then, but I didn't have any place to go unless I wanted to head back into the saloon, and I really didn't, not really.


	4. Chapter 4

My boots crunched on carpet and my eyes swept right up to the counter. The clerk was just getting comfortable to drift off, but his head came up to look at me and an easy smile slipped on his face.

"Howdy Jess. Here about Daisy?"

"Sorta."

I caught my hat in my hands and fiddled around with it a moment.

"I know it's late, but you got some coffee?" I asked suddenly, my head popping up, and the clerk smiled.

"Well the kitchen is closed, but there's always a pot on. You can go help yourself?"

He hooked a thumb back and I smiled softly, my hat slipping back on, and walked back to the kitchen of the hotel. It was empty, but it had a small fire letting off a large glow and someone had left a lantern. Turning it up, I fetched a cup and sat back staring at the fire sipping it slow.

A hand squeezed my shoulder and I jumped awake. First I glanced at the clerk, second I glanced at the floor and the cup. Coffee had splashed over the side, at my hurried awakening, spilling on the floor and my hand.

"Daisy's looking for you. I told her I would fetch you."

"Daisy?"

My mutter sounded more confused than I was as I dried off my hand.

"She came down this morning and I told her you were here."

"Morning!"

My brain was starting to spin and my eyes shot outside where a dim glow was just starting to show.

"Well it's early morning." He smiled and pulled out a long gold chain watch. "Six to be exact."

That doing nothing to clear my head, I forgot about the few drops on the floor and headed out into the lobby.

Daisy sat out there waiting for me and she rose when I came out.

"Jess," she said softly, all smiles and I ducked my head slightly not really wanting to have to explain. "You didn't have to come all the way to town for me and Mike, we would have been fine."

"I know that Daisy," I pushed on a smile and tried to bring my eyes to hers. "It's just…"

"It's just what, Jess?"

Her tone had changed taking on that worried edge of hers and I knew that once again my poker face had failed me. The story tumbled out slowly and perhaps in less detail than what I told Mort, if that's even possible, and by the end of it we were sitting at a table drinking coffee and she was all rather silent.

We had breakfast together and Daisy gave me Mike to keep busy while she walked off to the doc's. Mike of course wanted to know what was up, and I told the tale again it getting shorter each time I told it. There was nothing at the hotel for us to do and there was no way I was taking Mike to the saloon, so we headed down to the livery and spent our morning there, helping Tim finish up with our wagon and killing time doing odd jobs for him.

I took Mike for lunch, and it was just as he was starting to become more than I could handle, that Daisy returned with a soft smile and slowly walked to our table. I rose and Daisy stood behind Mike gently fingering his hair. She made an offhand comment about him needing a cut and as he whined slightly about _not_ needing one, she nodded to me. I snatched up my hat smiled and took to the boardwalk quickly.

Up the steps I bounced and politely I knocked on the door, but really I wanted to barge right on in. Daisy had been smiling so things must have been looking up. It took forever, but the good old doc himself opened the door, and with a short greeting he took me back to see Slim.

"Mr. Sherman broke his two lower ribs and punctured a very small hole in his intestines…"

I was by then standing in Slim's room, and looking very intently at his face. He was asleep, pale with a very slight sheen of sweat. My eyes moved to his side where it had been wrapped in abundance and the doctor paused his speech to smile at his wife.

"I had to open him up last night, and sew close the hole. He's fine though, nothing much to worry about. I would keep him for a whole lot longer, but your Daisy is pretty handy with this sort of stuff and…"

He went on to explain why it was better for the patient and them if Slim went home, but I didn't pay much attention. My ears were tuned for the important stuff, but I had slipped down next to Slim, taking his hand in mine and staring at his face. He was still so very still and I felt my gut get all tight all over again. The doc said there was nothing to worry about and gravy I wanted to believe him but Slim looked so…

"…As soon as he's awake and able, I'm sending him home."

My hearing picked up that, and by the way he stood and tone I sensed that he was drawing my visit to a close. I didn't want to go and my heart yearned to sit with him longer, so I turned to the doc and slipped a great amount of my worry onto my face.

"Could I sit with him? Just for a bit?"

I looked from the doc to his wife as they exchanged a glance. She looked at him softly with round eyes. He shook his head and sighed defeated.

"For a bit."

He shuffled away, shoulders drooping slightly, and she smiled at me, picking up a bowl of water, walking from the room closing the door gently. A very deep gratefulness to her, settled someplace in with the worry and I reached gripping a chair and pulling it to myself.

For the longest time I didn't say anything, watching the rise and fall of his chest, the very still face, and his hand. Nothing came to mind as I sat there watching him, and the only thoughts that I did have I didn't feel needed voiced. It's rather odd to ask someone to be alright, or not to die, but it's so very real when you sit there with it in your face.

"Please don't go." I mouthed, my hand closing around his.

I could sense that my time was coming to an end. The sun had moved all around the room, and we now were in an odd darkness as it was setting.

The door creaked open.

"Harper…?" It was the doc and I knew what he wanted.

I didn't turn to look at him as I gave the very limp hand one last squeeze.

"For me Slim," I mumbled. "For me."


	5. Chapter 5

All that night I thought about him and worried about him, and prayed about him. Slim had to be alright, Slim was going to be alright, and I wasn't going to take any other answer.

He came around the next day, in the afternoon, and the day after that we took him home. He was smiling as I helped him walk down the halls of the doc's house and out to the wagon and to a waiting Daisy.

He had insisted upon walking, his eyes still glossy from the strong drugs the doc had given him, and his speech was slow and hard to collect, but he was still as obstinate as ever, and to tell you the truth I was kinda happy he was being his stubborn self. It reassured me.

Out to the wagon we walked slow and steady with Mort there to help us get him in, and slowly we rolled home with people stopping to wave and offer us a word or two. Just about everyone knew, by then, the events that had taken place. Whether they got the right story or not, just about all of them came to see us off in one way or another. I felt like we were going on a trip, far away never to come back, and I had to shake my head a very faint smile playing on my face.

You never know how well you're liked until you're almost dead, then you'd be surprised at the number of people showing up on your doorstep.

Mr. Sherman, a great man. Must have been a great man. I didn't know him, not ever, but I knew his son. His son, one of the greatest people to ever bulldoze their way into my life and I don't think anyone but Slim could have done it. I looked at him then, all pale and worn out, acting like the bumps and turns of the wagon didn't bother him, and I flicked a smile across my face. Slim sure was the greatest thing ever to happen to a no good drifter like me.

Daisy rolled the wagon to a stop and her and Mike hurried on in to get the house ready. But me, I stayed out to help Slim from the back of the wagon and to make sure he made it inside alright. Slim had struggled his way up and was moving rather slow for the back of the wagon. I held out my hand to sorta steady him, but he waved it away.

"I can manage."

My hand balled and I smiled despite myself.

"Sure you can Slim," I nodded and he stopped to look at me. "And when you bite off more than you can chew, I'll be right there to catch you."

He watched me a moment, a very faint smile dashing my lips. His arm was in a sling, to keep his side steady, and I was standing on his left, but I caught a slight movement from his right, and a softer smile had lit his eyes.

"Sure Jess…"

There was no mistaking the movement that time, and I smoothly slid to his right, taking his hand and forearm helping him with that last little jolt to the ground. He bent slightly, boots hitting the dirt and gave a small grunt grabbing his side. My face got mixed with worry, and my grip around his arm tightened, wanting to scoop him up and carry him to bed.

His pain filled face lifted, and he looked at me with a very true Slim Sherman smile. I returned it, but gravy I could feel the nervousness tugging at my mouth.

"Thanks Jess," He said softly and I almost missed it as I had turned us to go in. "Thanks for everything."

Playfully I ducked his hat and I could feel my ears burning from the sincerity of his voice.

"Don't mention it. It's what pards are for."

He shook with a nod and suddenly leaned a great deal of his weight on me. Into the house we slid and I helped him to his room, but he would never understand the great respect and admiration I had for him. This. This was only a touch of what I would do for him, and as he struggled to get better, I strived to do everything possible for the man that had offered me so much. Life, hope, and his family. Making me something more than the two bit drifter that I had been.


End file.
